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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

APT International in conjunction with the APT Hawaii‐Pacific Islands Chapter is pleased to announce a workshop on Nondestructive Evaluation Methods for Historic Structures to be held at Honolulu’s Bishop Museum on April 11‐12, 2013.

The Workshop will provide guidance for designers, engineers and contractors in the use of diagnostic non‐destructive testing for historic structures.

The workshop will cover the concepts, theory and applications of non‐destructive test methods and will include hands‐on field sessions demonstrating diagnostic test methods on actual structures, including ground‐penetrating radar, in‐place tests of masonry, infrared thermography, resistance drilling of timber and digital radioscopy. Simpler diagnostic tools will also be available, such as moisture meters and rebound hammers.

This workshop will provide guidance to building stewards, and preservation professionals including architects, engineers, and material conservators.

If you are interested in attending please watch for the event to be posted at

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

2/1/13: Honolulu’s historic IBM Building is going to get a $20 million makeover, though the name and general look of the 51-year-old building in Kakaako will remain the same.

The building’s owner, The Howard Hughes Corp., told the Star-Advertiser on Thursday it plans to convert part of the office building into a sales and information center for its master plan to transform Ward Centers into a 60-acre urban village dotted with 22 new condominium towers, shops and restaurants over more than 15 years.

Renovation work began recently and is slated to be completed in the fall.

The IBM name and the building’s concrete sunshade grille will be preserved, Hughes Corp. said.

As part of the renovation, the ground floor will become an information center, presenting the future vision for the area as well as a history of the property that was once part of a kama­aina family estate known as Old Plantation established by Victoria Robinson and Curtis Ward.

The top two floors of the six-story building will become a condo sales center and feature model units.

Two exterior additions on the makai side of the building will be made — sand-colored outcroppings on the ground floor and penthouse level. The parking lot on the makai side of the building will become a landscaped courtyard.

Nick Vanderboom, senior vice president of development for Hughes Corp., said the company wanted to let the building’s distinct architectural look serve as an iconic and historic landmark as the new vision for Ward Village takes shape.

“We look forward to the IBM Building becoming an integral part of the vision for Ward Village,” he said. “It is rewarding to bring new purpose to this iconic structure.”

The building, designed by famed Hawaii architect Vladi­mir Ossipoff, is largely recognized for its grille.

Sid Snyder, a friend and business partner of the late Ossipoff, recalled that the grille was supposed to resemble IBM computer punch cards. Snyder said in a statement that he appreciates the preservation.

“The building’s classic grille is being preserved and the unique character is respected,” he said.

The building previously had been among Ward Centers structures to be demolished and replaced under an initial master plan unveiled in 2008 by the property’s previous owner, General Growth Properties.

The earlier plan led to a public call to preserve the building. Hughes Corp., a Texas-based development firm, acquired Ward Centers from General Growth in 2010 and announced a revised master plan in October.

Under the new master plan, 22 residential towers with 4,300 units will be added to the area along with 5 million square feet of retail space and 4 million square feet for office and other use.

An initial phase that includes one moderate-priced and two market-priced residential towers is projected to break ground in early 2014 if specific design and permitting approvals are granted by the Hawaii Community Development Authority, a state agency regulating development in Kakaako.

Monday, February 25, 2013

HONOLULU – The State Department of Transportation announced is seeking nominations for the annual Hawaii Scenic Byways Program. The Hawaii Scenic Byways Program is part of the National Scenic Byways Program that showcases roads throughout Hawaii with an important story to tell to both visitors and local residents alike.

2/15/13: The latest effort by the Kailua Village Business Improvement District on Hawaii island goes way beyond scraping gum off sidewalks.

KVBID will soon launch "Kona Royal Footsteps," a free app for smartphones and tablets that will provide visitors and kamaaina alike with a wealth of information and historical context.

The app is focused on the seven miles of Alii Drive that includes seven centuries of archaeology, history and cultural traditions, including more than two dozen points of interest, as well as more information about ocean recreation, shoreline access, area accommodations and other topics.

"While we know that visitors to Historic Kailua Village will find the app extremely helpful when planning and then during their stay, we are also excited about the educational value of the Kona Royal Footsteps app for residents and particularly for island students," said KVBID president Eric von Platen Luder (who also is president and owner of Huggo's, a longtime favorite Kona restaurant).

KVBID and volunteers from the Local Byway Committee "invested hundreds of hours developing app content that reveals fascinating information about places all along Alii Drive," he said.

KVBID Executive Director Debbie Baker notes all the people who come to Kona and drive down the oceanfront, 7-mile roadway "and have no clue as to what they're driving by, all the important sites, right off the shoulder of the road," she said.

Not just visitors, either.

"I quizzed my nephew the other day," she said. "Do you know where (King) Kamehameha learned to surf?" He didn't. "Do you know where the Morey boogie board was invented?" Nuh-uh.

Soon there'll be an app for that.

"It's more than an app; it's more of an interpretive experience via an app," she said. "The content is incredible."

For surfers like her nephew, the app includes all the common, surfer-used names for popular breaks, but great efforts were made to "reattach the traditional Hawaiian names" to the breaks, Baker said.

All those involved are most excited about the educational aspects of the app, which they believe will be a wonderful tool for teachers, Baker said.

It is quite common for Hawaii fourth-graders to travel to Hawaii island for Hawaiiana curriculum, and teachers as well as smartphone-equipped students would have a wealth of information, historical images and cultural information quite literally at their fingertips.

The app was the "egg" that grew from the KVBID's efforts to become a "Hawaii Scenic Byway" a while back, which involved amassing information and images about historical and archaeologically important sites. More information was gathered while the byway's corridor management plan was developed.

Discussions at the committee and board levels centered on how best to disseminate "all this fascinating information," and traditional means, such as brochures and interpretive signs, "would require a large amount of money," noted Baker.

"So, we were trying to be a little greener and a little smarter with how we share it, and to try to share it beyond where we are, just here," she said.

"We decided on an app."

KVBID credits efforts of the Local Byway Committee, a grant from the Hawaii Tourism Authority, and the County of Hawaii County Product Enrichment Program, which also is HTA-funded.

Incorporated in 2007, KVBID is only the third Business Improvement District in the state, behind the Waikiki Business Improvement District Association (2000) and the Fort Street Mall Business District Association (2002).

In addition to the educational opportunities, all those involved are stoked to share "pride of place and helping to share the stories with those people who live here and who visit. … It keeps the stories alive," Baker said.

Searchable as "Kona Royal Guide," or "Kona Royal Footsteps," the app will be released before the end of the month in both the Apple and Android stores and will be a free download.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Owned and operated by Janice and Tom Fairbanks and their daughter, Shelly Harris, the beautifully restored 1924 “Queen of Wailuku homes” was opened as The Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono in 1997 with seven distinctive guest rooms. In 2002, three additional guest rooms were opened in Vagabond’s House next door to the inn’s main building.

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January 3, 2013

Lahaina News

WAILUKU - The Old Wailuku Inn at Ulupono has been recognized as a 2012 Fodor's Choice selection. This distinction designates the inn as a leader in its field for service, quality and value during 2012.

The editors and experts of Fodor's have been selecting only the top 15 percent of their listed properties and activities as Fodor's Choice award recipients since 1988.

Every year, Fodor's writers experience, examine and evaluate thousands of hotels, restaurants and attractions in their travels across the globe.

While every business included in a Fodor's guide is deemed worth a traveler's time, only those offering a truly remarkable experience are given the Fodor's Choice designation.

For more than 75 years, Fodor's has presented travelers with the very top recommendations from hidden-away restaurants to can't-miss museums, to make sure they're making the most of their travels.

The 2012 Fodor's Choice recipients are the best of the best, providing a remarkable experience in their price range or category.

The inn will receive special recognition in the next Fodor's Maui Guide (2014) and on www.Fodors.com.

"We're especially honored to receive this distinction this year," said Innkeeper Janice Fairbanks, "because in September we celebrated 15 years in business. It's a privilege to serve our visitors and offer them an experience of Hawaii as it used to be."

Since its opening, the inn has been listed on the Hawaii State Register of Historic Places; won a "Keep It Hawaii" award for accommodations, the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau's top state honor for efforts to preserve Hawaiian culture; was rated fifth on Travel + Leisure Magazine's Top Ten U.S. Bed & Breakfasts list; received a Historic Hawai'i Foundation Historic Preservation Honor Award; and was the only property in the State of Hawaii to be included on the Fodor's Choice Hotels "Top 20 Hotels of the World" 2005 list.

The inn is located at 2199 Kaho'okele St. in Wailuku. For more information, visit www.mauiinn.com.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

IDEAS NEEDED!Does anyone know of successful, income-producing, adaptive reuse of circular buildings? These were built primarily in the 1960s and one of our Honolulu buildings, the Varsity Building, one of our 2012 Most Endangered Sites, seeks a new life. The owner desires a use that is financially viable to justify the extensive capital investment needed. Please share feasible ideas to give it a chance!

The five-story Varsity Building was designed by local firm Wimberly and Cook in 1963 to house the First National Bank. It's one a posse of circular buildings that went up around Oahu in the 1950s and '60s, including the Waikiki Circle Hotel and Waipahu's branch of American Security Bank. Curved buildings are examples of the mid-century Modernism movement, which showcased bold experimentation in shapes and materials, such as concrete, which had not been widely used previously.

What threatens it?

For the past four years, Kamehameha Schools has been collecting pieces of property in the Mo'ili'ili area, forming a contiguous area slated for redevelopment. The assemblage is complete, says Paul Quintiliani, director of Kamehameha Schools' commercial real estate division. “We have begun to shift our focus towards what makes the most sense.” The overall goal, he says, is to “enhance this part of urban Honolulu by creating a heart for the community that simultaneously improves the gateway into UH Manoa.” He says this will include greater pedestrian connectivity, public spaces, and new dining and entertainment options. KS is still in the planning phases; some of the possible permutations include the varsity building, some do not.

What can be done?

If you're a fan of Modernism, speak up, as community input will be important. Quintiliani says that architectural historians have been consulted to better understand the context of the Varsity Building, and that KS “does not approach redevelopment with the view that demolition is the approach

Friday, February 8, 2013

Each year the National Trust for Historic Preservation celebrates the best of preservation by presenting the Richard H. Driehaus National Preservation Awards. We invite you to nominate a deserving individual, organization, agency, or project for a National Preservation Award in one of the following categories:

Go to www.preservationnation.org/awards to access the 2013 nomination information and view video highlights of last year’s award winners. The entire nomination is an online process. If you have questions or need additional information about the awards or the nomination process, please call 202.588.6315 or e-mail awards@savingplaces.org . The nomination deadline for all awards is March 8, 2013.

We look forward to receiving your nomination and encourage you to pass this information on to any interested parties.

Within 48 hours of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawai‘i authorities arrested severalhundred local Japanese on O‘ahu, Maui, Hawai‘i and Kaua‘i. In total, over 2,000 men and women of Japanese ancestry were arrested, detained and interned in Hawai‘i.

Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program - National Park Service

Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i

Island Insurance Foundation

The Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation

Japanese American Citizens League - Honolulu Chapter

“This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of the Interior.”

This material received Federal financial assistance for the preservation and interpretation of U.S. confinement sites where Japanese Americans were detained during World War II. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age in its federally funded assisted projects. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: